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Monday, October 16, 2017

Two very different Irish Christmas angels are fluttering round my shop. The first, very individual lady is made of Connemara marble while her cousin is light and airy all swaggered out in Dublin sea glass:

Irish, Connemara marble Christmas angel ornament

Irish sea glass angel or Christmas fairy

Both are hand wrapped in silver plate and feature silver plate beading. They come to you from Dublin, Ireland. Either handmade ornament will look amazing on your Christmas tree or make the ideal gift for an Irish ex-pat or descendant. Only one of each available right now in my Etsy store, Handmade by Amo'r

Sunday, October 9, 2016

It is no secret that the rich and varied landscapes of Ireland are an endless source of inspiration for artists, poets and artisans. The pull to create much of my own jewelry comes from my stomps in the countryside. Having walked extensively across the bogs and around stately gardens of the midland counties and explored hills, parks and clifftops in Dublin and Wicklow this summer, this season's collection evokes the peaty browns, ever-present rich greens and the purple heathers and wildflowers of these counties. Here are my purple offerings. All photos here are my own.

Blessington, County Wicklow, Upper cliff, Howth, Nth Dublin

Connemara marble and amethyst earrings

artichoke and wild flowers seen at the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin city

Friday, September 9, 2016

Once upon a time, I thought Connemara marble was so uncool and old fashioned. As a twenty-one- year-old living away in Spain, this stone symbolised to me everything that was twee and kitsch about little ol' Ireland, in there with leprechauns and green pints of Guinness on Paddy's Day.

close up of Connemara marble pendant available from Handmade by Amo'r

Ok, ok, I hear ya - nothing wrong with a few harmless little leprechauns. But don't anyone dare mess with my Guinness! Being a student of history and literature with a strong background in the tourism industry, I am very proud of Irish heritage, but there is often a shaky line between culture and naff. A peek into many a souvenir store the world over should prove my point. Even the best of them have to have their share of tackorama. That's not always a bad thing. My besties and I have a long-running game trying to outdo each other with the most spectacular piece of tack we can find on our travels.

Connemara marble comes in so many shades of green

My ignorant young self was, however, so wrong about Connemara marble. Working with this beautiful, ancient stone I've come to understand and appreciate its rarity, its beauty and its heritage value. The Irish green stuff is as iconic as the black stuff - and every bit as smooth. Indeed, it takes a lovely polish. The marble is our very own, 6 million-year-old natural resource that comes in a wide array of beautiful shades from a creamy white-wash to the darkest forest green. The yellower shades have a high content of the mineral, serpentine. Some pieces feature dots of shiny quartz. No matter how big or small, no two pieces are exactly the same and there are usually several tones within even the smallest of beads.

An increased number of Irish jewellery artists, homeware designers and sculptors are currently producing exciting work using Connemara marble or other traditional materials such as Kilkenny marble, bog oak, wool, copper and wood. These materials are as relevant today as they ever were and lend themselves to interesting modern design. I've picked out four of my favourites from Etsy.

Sheepskin & Irish bog oak stool, MayFly Etsy shop

Natural edge mortar & Pestle, MBWoodturning

Copper wall clock, Guilded Hound

Felt painting, Mairead Ryan Textiles.

There is often a nod to tradition found in my own, contemporary jewellery designs. Irish marble beads are not so easy to come by, but Galway and Mayo have some quality, artisan masons who provide me with suitable cuts. Connemara marble also matches very well with materials from abroad such as Swarovski crystal, Italian onyx and American amethyst.

Afternoon Tea, Connemara marble teapot pendant, Handmade by Amo'r

What's more Irish than a cuppa tae and a bun? This super cute pendant combines modern, whimsical design with a reference to Ireland's other traditional beverage.

Purple amethyst complements the cooler shades of Connemara marble. While Ireland does have its own, virtually untapped, resource of amethyst seams, most famously on Achill Island, county Mayo, our gemstone industry remains underdeveloped. Beads like these have to be imported. Commonly, amethyst beads on sale in Ireland come from North America and the UK.

Kilkenny marble earrings

Irish seaglass and copper wire pendant

Want to know more about the materials I use? Click HERE (or click the Materials button on the menu bar at the top of the page) to learn more.

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Some people spot licence plates, others bird watch or trainspot. I've a nerdy habit of noticing places with faces. A few years back this screaming house caught my eye in Sligo. Then there was the creepy case of the Hills have Eyes. Now I've found something even more spine-chilling......queue the dun dun duns please....

Yes, it's a screaming folly! This gateway with its startled eyes and gaping mouth was spotted in the parklands at Belvedere House, Mullingar this summer. Look closely, it even has a nose and dimples!!It wasn't until I had uploaded the photos of another trip to the midlands that I noticed a, not so smiley, smiley face on the historic telescope in the grounds of Birr Castle, county Offaly.

All that's left to say is :-|Caught My Eye is a series of blog posts showing scenes I found interesting, odd, curious or beautiful.

Friday, August 26, 2016

I've been busy getting out and about this summer to make up for a very indoorsy winter when I worked by day and studied by night. That doesn't mean I haven't been busily crafting away at some key jewellery pieces for the coming season. In fact, I've found plenty to inspire me outdoors as always.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Blessington Greenway walk provides an easy escape from the city with a 7k stomp through the countryside that is easily reached by public transport. The walkway, which opened as recently as 2014, is fully accessible by car or bus. The 65 goes from Dublin city centre almost to the start of the walk at the Northern tip of Blessington in Wicklow. Even if you decide to stop in Blessington town centre for refreshment first, it's only a stone's throw to AvonRi resort and adventure centre, where the greenway begins. Access is through a gate in the back car park.

Blessington Greenway, photo by Sheila Mahon

Although the route commences so close to the town, you are instantly distanced from civilisation. The path takes you round the side of the lake and through the forest. After a while, however , you do need to leave the woods and follow the road for a few metres before resuming the track once more.

view looking back from lake, own photo

photo by Sheila Mahon

Several kilometres on, you will need to emerge again and cross a road but at no point do you have to walk on unsafe road or on any grass verge, except at the end, when turning up a short, quiet road that leads to Russborough House. For this reason, I give this route the thumbs up for safety as well as accessibility. It is also level, with no hills to negotiate and the path is easy underfoot. At some points boardwalks help the walker cross what would be boggy or uneven terrain. I have done this walk in light rain with no bother.

Russborough House, Photo by Sheila Mahon

Russborough House is worth a tour if you have the time and interest, but at the very least the quaint tearooms serve up seriously good cake and a chance to rest. There are also a few craft studios in the beautiful grounds and a maze, which I have yet to explore. The first time trying out this walk, after a decent lunch, we braved the whole walk back to Blessington. However, 14k can be a bit much in one day, even for an avid walker like me. Revisiting with a bunch of friends on a muggy day last weekend, we left one car in Russborough and another at the start of the walk. We were so grateful for our foresight. There is a bus stop near Russborough but the route isn't all that frequent so be advised to check bus times both in advance and on Dublin Bus's real time app if possible.

Apart from the ease and accessibility of this walk, I love it because it takes you through a variety of scenery. With cake at the end, what's not to love?

sweetcorn cakes garnished with radish and a drop of sweet chili sauce, own photo

Sweetcorn cakes are a tasty way to get extra veggies into anyone's diet but the hint of sweetness can especially appeal to kids. They won't even know they are eating vegetables! Drop a small can of sweetcorn, a shortsplash of lemon juice and an egg into the blender. Add a heaped teaspoon of flour, shake of salt and pepper, a pinch of paprika or chili and either a sprig of fresh coriander or parsley (dried will also do). If you'd like to give them a bit of a sharper edge, chop in some chives or a spring onion too. Blend only for a few very short seconds to break up the kernels. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and when very hot, carefully lower dessertspoonfuls of the mixture in as for drop scones. It's best not to have them too close together so four or five in a full sized pan at a time is about right. Flip them over when they begin to solidify and brown. They can be eaten hot or cold so are a novel idea for picnics.

Tomato and garlic Melba toast, own photo

This is my version of pan Catalan; perfect for bringing colour and zing to a summer barbeque or buffet.These tasty bites really complement charcoal-grilled chicken.Throw a couple of vine tomatoes (or a handful of cherry tomatoes) into the blender and add salt and pepper. Add one or two cloves of garlic according to taste and the number of tomatoes and blitz only for a couple of seconds leaving it slightly lumpy. It should not be a runny liquid. If you prefer the garlic to be fully blended in, put it in first, blitz for a second before adding the tomatoes. Serve on Melba toasts. You can top with grated emmental cheese, Parmesan shavings and/or a basil leaf. Any left over tomato paste can be frozen and used in pasta sauces or on pizza.

miniature potato omelette, (ashamedly own photo)

Isn't this miniature Spanish omelette so cute? This is a creative idea I had for an afternoon tea party last summer. Space doesn't allow me to include instructions for Spanish potato omelette but the recipe is widely available online. Once you have made a good, thick omelette, use an orange-juice glass or cookie cutter to make mini rounds. Again, these are handy for picnics as they are just as tasty hot or cold, but it is a good idea to wrap in tinfoil before placing in Tupperware to keep the shape intact. You may wonder what happens to the outline scraps left over after cutting them out. While you can freeze them, the flavour and texture can deteriorate. However, they will keep in the fridge for the next day or two and make a delicious filling in a panini with mayo and rocket leaves.

Upcycled sea glass candle holder

Now let's throw a little light on outdoor table decor. I made this decorative candle holder using sea glass pieces that were to small to fashion into my sea glass pendants. You can find out how to put it together by clicking here.